The Haunted
by MelodicFlan
Summary: [AU] Mysterious Pairing. Kuga Natsuki is a detective. One day she receives an odd job…one that asks her to investigate a dilapidated manor. There, she meets someone who is a world apart. Can love surpass even the barriers between the living and the dead?


The Haunted

**Disclaimer:** Not much is mine except for the plot. Mai-HiME is not mine. Many things are not mine! I must start planning.

**Important notes:** Italics voice thoughts. Those without quotations are from Natsuki. Usually, I'll mark to whom they belong to if it's not Natsuki. I'll use US driving systems with the steering wheel on the left instead of the right. Also I'll be using the Japanese surname greetings. There will be phrases in Japanese sometimes, which I will give the translations to.

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**Thanks to: **Centauri2002/Caz-sama for beta-ing! Without her, my grammar would suck. I'm horrible with tenses and sometimes I type so fast that I miss some words, haha.

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"Kuga!"

She stared at her quizzically.

"Kuga!"

An eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

"Dammit! Fine! If that's how you wanna be, two can play that game."

Her rebellious mind tugged the corners of her lips into a devious grin.

_Oomph! Gah, what the f-ck?!_

Nao smothered her partner with a cushion, making her wake up with a startled yelp. Gasping for air, the young detective with midnight cobalt framing her face, glared with sharp emerald orbs.

"What the hell, Nao? I was freaking sleeping!"

"Sorry, thought you were dead," the redhead shrugged nonchalantly and glanced around the room. The usually messy dwelling was laden with boxes and a couple of suitcases. Even the windows and her desk were tidied up sparkling clean, documents stacked into neat piles next to her PC. She raised an eyebrow.

"Mind explaining these suitcases---and your disgustingly-Non-Kuga-like overly clean apartment? Didn't get dumped by anyone recently, did you?"

Instead of retorting defensively at her partner, Natsuki heaved a sigh, sitting upright on her oaken white couch. She patted the seat next to her and urged Nao to sit down.

"Shut up and listen for a while okay?" Seriousness drenched the words and immediately drowned the playfulness of Nao. Hot pink strands padded softly against her slender back as she made her way around the couch, bending down to plop herself into a comfy seat next to Natsuki. Lime green eyes stared intently and questioned, words painted with complete earnestness,

"You're going back to college?"

A vein pulsed angrily on Natsuki's femininely toned neck, she flicked Nao's forehead with a finger. The redhead snapped her eyes shut and winced, hands caressing the numb spot which was now turning salmon pink. Bending forward, the girl with blueberry tresses planted her chin onto flat palms, leveraging her elbows onto her exposed thighs. Navy black shorts adorned her curvaceous figure, coupled with a white fleece sweater; Natsuki's green orbs wandered off to the interior of her office/home. Her mind drifted into recollection of the previous events that occurred.

---Flashback---

A few hours ago in the dead of the morning, she received quiet yet persistent knocks on her front door. Having just finished a couple of documents on her scattered desk, she fell to her bed, almost knocked unconscious by the softness of her mattress; her legs hanging in the air, only half of her body covered by cotton, sky-blue covers. Then, after a few minutes, the knocks started, escalated, yet never changing the intensity. They were monotonous and annoyed her to hell. Growling, her hands knocked away an alarm clock, believing for a second that it was a new ring tone set by Nao.

To her dismay they weren't but nonetheless a metal object was now lying on the ground. The knocks continued, and the tired detective shifted her position, her unchanged clothes ruffled and creased in the process. Her body shivered as her toes brushed and shoved into the cotton covers, whilst she tried to snuggle and drown in the scent of her fluffy, queen-sized mattress that had absorbed her aroma over the years; it was cold, stinging her body and slowly jolting her awake—not that she had been asleep.

Groggily getting up, she promised to deck whoever was producing that constant knocking. A leg swung over to the side of the bed, her foot firmly landed onto the metal object; she quietly cursed as the pain shot through her body, further stimulating her newfound adrenaline and wishes to punish her knocker.

Sharp, precise and slightly louder than the norm footfalls padded out Natsuki's bedroom, down the austere halls and to her living room, which was filled with scattered files, all of them encased pictures of missing cats or dogs. Giving a quick scowl towards some that lay on her couch, she stepped over a couple plastic bottles of coke and expertly maneuvered through a mini trail of empty cup-noodles. Finally avoiding a mysterious long, murky green-tinged, glass bottle, which she presumed used to contain some kind of wine, she blinked a few times and made her way to the white, pinewood door, matched with a plain silver doorknob.

Cautiously, lithe and agile fingers grasped onto the silvery handles, shimmering with a hint of light from the big windows in which the sun peaked its way through, also hitting warm rays onto the side of her back. Turning the circular knob, the door slowly creaked open, showing a young man with cropped black hair, clad in a black, stylish grey-streaked suit. His eyes were washed over in golden dark, perfectly matching his tie which held the same color. His hand was stopped in midair, ready to make another knock until the door opened. Lowering his bent arm, he gave Natsuki a polite smile,

"Hello, my name is—" The door slammed into his face, effectively shutting the man up.

"_Kanzaki Reito," _he finished in his mind.

Natsuki slammed the door instead of punching the daylights out of young man. Sighing, she turned around until she heard the man's muted yet desperate pleas reverberate through the door.

"Wait! Please, listen to me. My name is Kanzaki Reito, and I mean no harm!"

Fully turning towards the door, Natsuki barked through her tired demeanor,

"Look, business hours are closed, come back another time."

Reito lightly pounded on the door again, his voice was calm.

"I've seen the sign downstairs. This place is currently opened."

Upon hearing this, Natsuki cast a side-glance at a black-rimmed clock, hanging next to the entrance of the hall. The big hand was near thirty and the short hand aimed towards ten. Her tone was a bit softer this time, but nonetheless grumpy.

"I decide my own hours. Leave now or I'll use force."

This time, the young detective actually took a few steps towards her room. Ears perked up to faint footsteps on the other side of the door, he quickly knocked again to catch the young woman's attention.

"Please, it will only take a second. I have a proposition for you."

_Damn this guy is persistent…_

The footfalls increased their volume near the door again and Reito positioned himself as the door half-opened, showing the face of an agitated detective, feet tapping impatiently on the lacquered wooden floor tiles. His smile was never faltering akin to how a true gentleman should be.

"Thank you, this will only take a moment of your time," he bowed. Wordlessly, Natsuki stared at the man once more before fully opening the door. Turning around, she made her way towards the couch, plopping herself into it while crossing her legs. Reito stared for a second before acknowledging this was a gesture for him to also sit down. Holding his black briefcase with his left arm, fingers clutched onto it with the utmost care as if contents held great significance.

Not a hint of surprise was shown on the young man's face when he observed the trash-loaded living room. His grayish amber eyes widened by a fraction when his ebony dress shoe rolled off a long glassy object. Peering down, he saw it was a Bordeaux wine bottle, different from the rest of the junk-food type debris.

"So, what business do you have here? A lost cat or dog? Just state your price and give me a picture and I'll deal with it later," Natsuki stifled a yawn and broke Reito out of his ogling reverie.

Finally weaving his way through the obstacles, Reito sat down in another couch of the same oaken white color, diagonal from our young detective. He protruded his hand for a friendly shake, which Natsuki nonchalantly complied.

"No, it's nothing of the sort. Kuga Saeko-san was it? Nice to meet you once again."

Retracting her hand, Natsuki replied straightforwardly, "That's my mom; she's away on a trip. I'm Kuga Natsuki, current head of this business."

_This guy must've done his work…_

"Greatest apologies, Kuga-san, I was unaware of this, please do excuse my rudeness."

Natsuki straightened her back, shifting her legs side by side. She crackled her knuckles in boredom, noticing out the corner of her eye that Reito appeared quite intimidated or perplexed by this action. She smirked and continued smoothly.

"Enough with the formalities, Kanzaki-san. What is it that you need me for?"

Sounds of popping went into his eardrums; he slightly winced as each bone cracked back into place. Gingerly he picked up his briefcase and set it on his thighs, unclipping the locks to reveal a manila folder. He politely handed the item to the young detective, who nodded her head in thanks and opened the file.

--Sudden End of Flashback—

A hand waved before her in quick swipes, cutting through the air and blurring into a peachy mass. Kneeling in front of her was a semi-worried Nao. Green eyes hid behind long eyelashes, blinking a couple times. Angrily, she slapped the hand away with minimal force. Nao clutched her hand protectively and faked a pout.

"Dood, I was just trying to get you out of your stupid daydream. Freaking you need to take some anger management classes---" The redhead stopped when noted the irregular actions of her partner.

"…" Natsuki leaned back and buried herself in the pliable cushions. Gaze plastered onto the white ceiling, she idly counted the tiny flakes of white paint that stuck out as part of the design. A hand went to cover her fully unrestrained yawn and she stretched her tired limbs.

"Ne…Nao…do you want a million dollars?" The young detective was dazed from the lack of sleep; she appeared to be in deep thought as her hands went to rub her visage, waking her just a bit.

Nao flapped her wrist and quipped, "No, sorry you're not my type. Give me a billion and I might reconsider."

It took a while before the thought was registered. After a few moments, a tomato-faced, navy-haired girl lightly kicked her friend in the stomach, effectively knocking the wind of out Nao and caused the redhead to land on her butt.

"Idiot, I was talking about a new case!" Getting up, Natsuki's voice trailed off down the hallway; the girl was going to the refrigerator to get some refreshments. Nao stared quizzically at the back of the pacing figure before she stood up, wiping off nonexistent dust off her khaki Capris.

"Okay, which dumb guy wants you to find his cat or whatever this time?" Nao hollered.

Natsuki came back out, clutching two cokes and a bottle of mayonnaise. She threw one of the cokes at Nao; she caught it expertly and said quick thanks before unscrewing the cap. They both chugged a couple mouthfuls before Natsuki nonchalantly answered,

"It's not a pet..."

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A silver SUV lodging two passengers drove down a bumpy road, surrounded by an ominous forest thicket. Crows screeched left and right as the headlights bounced towards them, blinding the creatures with artificial yellow beams. They flew off, feathers scattering around the late evening skies, overcast by grey clouds and a hidden waxing moon. Silver lunar shimmers penetrated the grey masses and reflected the slick metal of the vehicle emblazoned in the same color.

"So you're saying some rich guy is willing to give me two million dollars just for a simple week's stay at some run-down manor?" Nao breathed in one quick breath, summarizing Natsuki's story.

"Not 'me' but 'us', stupid. We're gonna split fifty-fifty." Natsuki yawned again, her hand dangerously lifted from the steering wheel. She was blindly grasping for something.

"Hey Nao, hand me the bottle of mayonnaise, will you?" Nao did as she was told and even opened the tiny cap for her. She winced and gagged, turning her head away from the scene as she saw Natsuki drink the substance like water. A finger pressed a button, the car automatically rolled down the black-tinted windows; she pinched her nose as if the white condiment held a horrible odor.

"You know, you can die from that. I'm going to laugh if your life ends earlier than mine due to that thing."

"One more word and I'll swerve this car to the right. If you die, I'm sure many people will be happy." Natsuki faked a right jerk; the car jittered violently towards the thicket and towards a very tall, sturdy tree. Nao gasped in horror and held onto the safety railings that were plastered to the roof of the vehicle for her dear life. Another hand clutched her heart and she sighed in relief as the SUV swerved back to its correct path. Lime green eyes glared at her driver.

"Be glad that my mama is away with your mother or else she'd smack you."

Natsuki smirked, while her worries resurfaced. Both of them belonged to single-parent families; two and two met. Kuga Saeko was a detective and Yuuki's mom was a teacher. The pair became friends right off the bat. Now the pair decided to travel around the world on some enlightenment course, leaving Natsuki and Nao to take care of the agency. A bump on the road rocked her thoughts away, the young agent retorted.

"Funny why you don't smack me yourself."

"It's because you're driving and chugging that son-of-a-gun." She watched as Natsuki handed back the mayo bottle. Nao took the item, while Natsuki muttered thanks and continued grinning.

"I'm glad you've noticed, partner."

"This part-time job seriously kills." The passenger slumped into her seat, propping an arm on the windowsill, made of soft tan leathers. Sharp, frigid winds sliced the air and slapped her face in ascending multitudes. Nao sighed; this ride was taking way too long.

"Be happy that I even hired you at all."

"Shut up," Nao snapped. The windows slid back up, locking into their positions, shutting the pair from the outside world. The quiet humming and occasional potholes continued to disturb their beings. No other exchange was made when Nao silently drifted to slumber. Natsuki scowled; at least she got to sleep. Thinking to keep awake, more events of today's event played back vividly.

--Continuation of Flashback—

_This is…?_

Opening the file she saw pictures sliding towards the bottom of the folder, some were in color while others were in black and white. All of them contained snapshots of a dilapidated building…big and was most likely used to be a magnificent mansion, housing some prestigious family. Behind them were a couple of papers, which she briefly flipped through. There was a map, a blue print of the estate, and thin, paper-clipped stack of papers. Taking off the metal object, she found it contained a brief history and some major facts about the manor.

"I would like for Kuga-san to investigate this manor—check the condition, basically."

The detective scoffed, holding up one of the images, she stared at the arched windows, vaguely draped by torn curtains. The walls of the manor seemed scorched; the sight of burn marks supported her deduction that a fire must've occurred roughly ten years ago. She could make out a blurry shadow near a tall bush of weeds, most likely from the camera defects. She clipped the image between her fingers and held it up, flashing the colored photograph at Reito.

"If you wanted someone to look at that place, call an estate agency. Despite my age, I'm pretty busy, you know."

Peering down, she gathered up the papers, stacking them neatly into the manila file. She was about to close it until Reito stopped her with a protruded hand, merely only a few centimeters from touching her wrist. He quickly retracted his outstretched hand upon receiving the hard gaze of emerald orbs.

"Two million dollars," he added desperately, "just stay there for at least a week and tell me what you find."

Green eyes widened by a fraction upon hearing the large sum. The words appeared to echo in her mind as she quietly considered. The number was clearly too high; unless he was rich playboy that liked to fling money, he would not have offered such a price. She was not always one to ask for a reason, but this job required it.

"Tell me why, Kanzaki-san. What is your reason for this investigation? I believe I have the right to know."

He stiffened as if startled by the sudden question. Quickly it was hidden by a soft chuckle; suave words escaped his masculine lips,

"This is simply one of my family's estates. We just wish to sell it as quickly as possible. However, as you can see, the condition of this house is quite deplorable. Contracting with an agency would require much money. That was why I came to you, Kuga-san. A detective has twice the keenness and acute perception for details. I just wish for a simple report when you come back from your stay."

The explanation, though given quite well, was still not completely satisfactory. The young detective could feel the hairs on her nape as if foreshadowing an unfortunate event that was inevitable. Natsuki made a sound of affirmation, protruding a firm yet feminine hand, she said,

"Fine, case accepted, but I'll be bringing someone with me."

--End of Flashback—

The SUV rolled up to long drive way, passing the broken black gates, rusted and tinted with orange that flaked off and carried in the air as the headlights threw its beams at the direction. Natsuki gritted her teeth and shifted gears to ensure her car engine won't break down; the concrete was cracked and torn in certain places. Nao jolted awake then the car finally landed in a pothole that was too deep to get out of. Natsuki slammed a fist onto her steering wheel, cursing,

"F-cking dammit! Nao get out and help push!"

The redhead decided that now was not the time to slip in a rude comment about child labor and cars. She opened the door and cautiously stepped out. Immediately, she was greeted by howling gusts that cried off to the distance. Nao rubbed her arms and stretched, lime green eyes widened and pupils dilated to absorb the light.

Arms pointing skywards and outstretched, her body was facing the manor, which was still quite far away. Sounds of the vehicle grinding against the pavement went unheard as Nao glanced up. Some of the gigantic arched windows were cracked. Torn sheets hang out from the openings and parts of the wall were peeling, showing bricks underneath. Overall the manor was close to a stark black; the living conditions were near zero. Nao whistled, whilst circling her arms and then backed away from the tall building, forming a picture frame with her fingers,

"Okay, first of all. This place is screaming for a new paint job. Second—" Nao thought she saw a shadow running across one of the upper windows. She blinked and the figure was gone. Natsuki poked her head out of an opened window and screamed,

"F-cking I said 'push'! Did I say 'go check out the building'? HELL NO I DIDN'T!"

Nao shrugged, "I feel for the sorry ass that's going to be your husband." Oops, she let the comment slip. Well at least she didn't bluntly talk about child labor. Multiple veins made their appearance on Natsuki's visage. Upon hearing a growl emitting from her partner, Nao quickly skipped towards the back of the vehicle, rolling up the sleeves of her pink cotton jacket.

"On the count of three, Kuga! One-two-three!" Nao pushed as hard as she could, while Natsuki floored the engine; the SUV grinded against the pothole, only digging deeper into the ditch. They tried again and it mainly just tilted forward, before rolling back down into its depths.

"Nao, we're gonna have to walk." Natsuki stepped out the vehicle, midnight tresses flinging wildly against the dimly lit night. A hand combed through the tussled strands and they submissively obeyed the orders to untangle. Then, silky strands were safely tucked behind her ears as her face peered up; eyes momentarily closed. Natsuki breathed in the fresh air with a sigh of relief. Nao smirked sarcastically,

"Hey we're not doing a TV commercial here," then frowned, "and heck no! I'm not gonna lug all the luggage to THAT place." Nao pointed at the manor, finger shaking.

Head tilting to resume its regular position, Natsuki opened her eyes and frowned. It was going to be a long walk, but they'll have to make do and just carry the luggage they needed. If they needed anything extra they could always walk back out. Grabbing her car keys, she pressed a button and the rear door flung open with a beep. It flipped open slowly, revealing suitcases that belonged to the pair.

"I'll be helping you so quit whining. Anyways, let's hurry. It's nearing midnight." Natsuki confirmed the time on her watch, she was correct. Handing two medium sized suitcases, equipped with wheels to Nao, she also took out two herself, leaving the extra luggage which contained more clothing and other essentials. Nao grumbled as Natsuki brought the door to a close,

"I'm freaking glad this place has a hot shower, but I don't think beds will be that great. Hurry up, Kuga; I'm gonna to leave you! Damn, it's cold!"

Nao grinned and pulled her cases, leaving Natsuki to fumble in her coat pocket for a mini flashlight.

"Idiot, at least wait for me!"

The young detective clipped the flashlight onto her ear, the small yet strong beams attacked the darkness if front of her, lighting their way. Both their grips hardened on the handles of their suitcases; the black gate loudly creaked to a close. Turning her head, Natsuki deducted it was the wind; it was quite strong after all. Nao on the other hand, gulped and walked a bit closer to Natsuki. The pair was locked; secured and barricaded from the outside world. Unbeknownst to them, their cell-phones wouldn't work in this out-of-range, secluded area.

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Translucent auburn strands framed the visage of a young lady in her early-twenties. Her petite nose was held high while her thin, washed out lips curled into a mischievous smile. Glancing at the window, a sheer, long and white dress hugged her perfect body, showing just the right amount of cleavage and perfectly embraced her hour-glass body.

Preferring to hear the muted clacks of her stilettos instead of drifting, the see-through dress fluttered against her graceful movements. Lucid, chestnut locks curled around her femininely formed shoulders as she bent down. Her crystalline maroon pools glistened in the dark as she peered at the two beings walking closer to her home. Peachy lips parted, and a chuckle echoed through the walls of the manor.

Hugging a small purple plush toy close to her bosom, the hybrid stuffed animal let out a squeak from the defused air. The ghost patted her toy with smooth lithe fingers that belonged to an imminent angel, whispering in a melodically alluring and hypnotizing accent,

"Ara, Kiyohime…we seem to have guests."

The dead girl was bored, her spirit was in unrest. Boredom led to mischievous deeds, which was exactly why she was striding down the steps to the first floor. Her guests wouldn't be able to see her, but they'd certainly feel her wrath. Mind tumbling into new plans, her taut waist and hips lightly swayed as her legs lowered her figure towards the last step. Making a turn, her sinuous fingers grazed across beautiful walls, beset with famous paintings and pottery; to her, everything seemed good as new, yet she knew this was not reality. Despite the beautiful scenery, fingertips felt sticky and rough from the dust. Her eyebrows furrowed; she would have to clean the place again sometime soon.

However, first things first, a polite greeting was in order.

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Before them was a double mahogany door; for some reason it had opened as the two neared. Natsuki nonchalantly walked closer; Nao seemed to be dragging her steps.

"Don't tell me you're scared, Nao." Natsuki made the first move to land her feet into the dark mansion. The floor tiles cracked but it was fairly stable. Planting another foot, her body was now fully inside the manor. Her surroundings were pitch-black even as her brain ordered her pupils to dilate; not a single thing could be seen. Her flashlight was beaming down an ostensibly endless grand hall, the dust particles collected around the light, floating in the closed space.

"Heck no, I was just tired…but why did that door open on its own?" Nao eyed the door knocker, it was made of fine metal in the form of multiple snakes coiled on top of another, they appeared to be staring, and its sable eyes peered into her soul. The redhead also stepped in. The two strode in further, footsteps muted by what must've been a rug. Suddenly the doors screeched to an eerie close. Nao dropped her suitcase handles, body fully snapping around and gawked at the door. She couldn't see anything now; the flashlight simply wasn't strong enough.

"THE HELL WAS THAT?! It closed on its own!" Nao screamed; her vibes picked up something unpleasant to her direct left, and she stumbled towards what she thought was Natsuki, clinging to her. Somehow Natsuki was very cold and hard to the touch. Her nostrils flared as it took in a musty odor.

"_Funny…I knew Kuga was cold-hearted but I didn't actually know it was the truth…And Gawd, she smells like…something,"_ Nao mused. But then she realized…it was a statue… Her mind blanked upon the revelation.

"Nao?! Don't move! Where are you," Natsuki spun around, the mini flashlight threw it's rays at something…similar to an invisible ripple in the air akin to heat-waves that shake the atmosphere during a hot day. It was gone after a blink. Emerald orbs darkened, pupils dilating further due to fear, Nao was not answering. The atmosphere was tense; everything was still as her ears perked up. Cold sweat was sticking blueberry strands to her face.

…_Was that a shuffle? _

Following the source of the sound, Natsuki inched closer, leaving her bags on the marble floor. Tennis shoes veered off the carpet, giving minimal squeaks and crushed more decaying tiles, but other than that, the ground suspiciously clean.

"Nao?!" Natsuki cocked her head, taking off the flashlight and swung the item around. Then she saw a flash of red…or was it red? No, it seemed…invisible. Swinging the light again, she saw a cowering figure. It was Nao; she was shaking and muttering something incoherent. Natsuki ran towards her, crouching at her friend; she was dazed, lime green eyes glazed over.

"Nao…?" Natsuki tapped her shoulders. Immediately, Nao shuddered, as if breaking out of a trance. Her torso turned, embracing Natsuki in a choke-hold. Air knocked out of her lungs, Natsuki's hands clawed at the arms wrapped around her neck. She wheezed,

"N-Na-o…l-let…a-air…NEED!" Nao quickly let go, realizing what she had done. She dipped her head in apology, gasping for air as if she was the one being released from the hold. Natsuki rubbed her reddened neck.

"Gah, sorry…it's just the…door closed and I…um…," Nao reached for the words in her brain yet it was a jumbled mess, she didn't know why. Natsuki raised an eyebrow; Nao was being so…polite? Shaking her head, Natsuki tried to calm her partner by placing a hand on her shoulder; both of them were slumped down onto the cold marble floors.

"It was just the wind. Are you okay?" Nao furiously slapped the hand away, glaring at what appeared to be Natsuki's face.

"No I am NOT okay! How the f-ck can it be the wind if the door closed IN?! Are you freaking saying this damn house produces it's own…you know what? Let's just find our room and sleep. I must be tired…yea tired."

Nao made a mental note to ask about atmospheric changes when she went back home and attended her college. Good thing she was able to get out of that situation quite smoothly. Plucking the small flashlight out of a dumbfounded Natsuki's hand, she patted the dust off her body and made her way towards her suitcase.

_You know Nao…you're right…a door can't close in. Something…I know…there's something wrong with this place…_

Meanwhile, the figure frowned, this was the first time she had touched someone ever since her death. She didn't know it would shock the hot, pink-haired girl into stupor. Still, none of them saw her. Her heart sank; this was not a greeting she had been hoping for. A funny tease turned ugly. Wrapping an arm around her waist, whilst another lifted, a finger touched her cheek as her head tilted. Yes, she would have to make up for her mistakes. Fujino Shizuru, taught to be a perfectionist until her death, was going to hold true to her words. A finger grazed across her lower left abdomen as she drifted back to her room, mind roaming to the pair she had met earlier.

"_Still the one with the raven hair was certainly intriguing—not to mention I did get a nice reaction from…'Nao' was it? Yes, I'll be enjoying their company," _Shizuru mused, tossing her auburn hair back with a translucent porcelain hand.

Sadly, unbeknownst to the brunette, first impressions take at least fifty more meetings to change. A long night lies ahead for the unfortunate investigating duo.

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I've been thinking about this story for a long time. I added in clues here and there—some more obvious than others. I wonder how many you can catch. Does anyone know the pairing yet? It's not too hard to figure out!

Please **review** if you like this! There will be humor, suspense, mystery, and plenty of things coming from this haunted mansion. Seriously, never leave Shizuru bored…she might just JUMP out at you.


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